Couple left scrambling after wedding venue cancels

EXCELSIOR, Minn. (KMSP) - At least eight Twin Cities couples are scrambling to find a new wedding venue after a popular Lake Minnetonka facility abruptly announced it is closing its doors for a three-month long renovation this winter.

One of those impacted brides is Hastings native Ashley Wiesenburger.

"I cried. I mean I don't think I've had that type of physical response to something like that in some time,” Wiesenburger said

Wiesenburger just couldn't believe the phone call she took Wednesday night.

"I was kinda like, are you serious?” she recalled.

On the other end was a representative from the Bayview Event Center in Excelsior, where Ashley and fiancée Joe Schneider dreamed of tying the knot in a January 2017 wedding on the lake.

The couple wanting to embrace winter and the Lake Minnetonka location.

But the news they heard broke their hearts. Their wedding, that they booked nearly a year ago, was cancelled. They were told Bayview is closing for three months for renovations this winter. Their save-the-date cards have already gone out and they have hired many of their wedding day vendors. The explanation they were given for the surprise cancelation was “new management.”

"We're kinda left hanging,” explained Wiesenburger. “So what is the next step? Where do we go from here? I just don't think it's acceptable to all of a sudden say to people who trusted you. Who signed a contract with you to promise to help celebrate their big day. That you are now going to take that away from them."

Bayview's attorney told Fox 9 that a total of eight weddings will have to be moved as the venue expects its renovations to last from November through January. He promised the venue is refunding all deposits and that the staff is working to re-book couples at the nearby Lafayette Club. But that's not what Joe and Ashley want.

"That's where we pictured ourselves (at Bayview). The whole wedding revolves around the venue. It sets the mood, the feel, the tone. Everything for your wedding."